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I was also impressed by some of the aquatic plants on sale at Prairie Aquatics and Exotics

I found this family run store bustling at the time of my visit, and so I did not have as much time as I would have liked to chat with the owner. From what I saw this store has a nice assortment of both marine and freshwater fish, as well as some exotic reptiles. In other words, the store is true...

Below are a few fancy plecos that Sylvia's helper was breeding on site. There were also a few "monster fish" uneasily getting along in a tank to one side. This in addition to all the "normal" aquarium fish you'd expect to find for sale in an aquarium shop (lots of tetras, smaller cichlids, nano...

She told me that she is quite well known as a "home based" aquarium store, sharing how even dentist receptionists have recognized her address, blurting out "Heh, isn't that the address for the aquarium store around there?" :)

Sylvia keeps the kind of fish that serious freshwater keepers want to keep, like altum angels, high grade discus, unusual L#'s...

As panda gold supremes go, I really think this is one of the best I've seen, so forgive me for maybe getting a bit carried away with the photos :) I made a video too, of course! Note the fish was largely raised in a 75 gallon before being transferred to its current tank when near adult size...

This is one of the more "curious" stores that I have reviewed over the years. It is entirely home based, located in a large basement. I've started the attached photo expose by focussing on the beautiful Panda Gold Supreme that Sylvia (the store owner) has. The fish is obviously her pet. She...

This little gem of a store is tucked away in a semi-residential corner of Edmonton. It is well worth seeking out for the nice ambience, friendly owners, and well cared for livestock. The anecdote I'll share here concerns the care they show for their betta fish at this store. Keeping bettas can...

Some good information provided by Tuan at Aquarium Central

You can see the light meter in the attached photo below :)

In the short time I have known Tuan, owner of Aquarium Central in Edmonton, I have been really impressed by his knowledge, integrity, and passion for the hobby. He is also a really nice person who goes out of his way to try and help people. I have witnessed this first hand as we have done some...

This was the most "urban" aquarium store I saw in Calgary; it is located in the heart of the downtown. The owner was not in that day, but the young salesperson on hand was very friendly and knowledgeable. The focus was on nano fish and plants. It's a cute store and if I lived in downtown Calgary...

Unfortunately not much to see here, as they were closed for most of August. From what I saw through the windows, they are mostly a salt water aquarium store.

This shop is in a small strip mall. They had a lot of larger sized fish on hand. If you are looking to get some big fish (African cichlids, South American cichlids, etc.) for a big tank, this would be a good place to visit. At least that was the case during my visit in early August 2025. A...

I have visited these guys a few times over the past 20 years, and have on occasion sold them aquarium fish as well (including Asian arowana). Dennis (the older one) and Dave (the younger one) are something of an institution in the Calgary aquarium scene. Everyone has dealt with them at least...

A small family run store, tucked away in a Calgary strip mall and tricky to find, Source Aquatics is worth a visit. The owner has a long history with the hobby in Alberta. We exchanged a few stories about people we have known in the Alberta Aquarium scene, some still around, others passed on.

I had a nice chat with Pat about the aquarium industry in Canada and about his many decades in the aquarium trade. Pat knows his stuff.

If you are looking for aquarium fish and supplies in southern Saskatchewan, Pat's Place is the place to be! :) I found the owner (Pat) to be really friendly and knowledgeable. The store is well stocked, and from what I can see, has everything an aquarist could need. As a big fish keeper, I...

A few more photos

The owner has a fondness for African cichlids. He was very enthusiastic as he told me about how he and his staff are into breeding them and sourcing good genetics. This conversation extended to angelfish (Pterophyllum) too; I was shown some beautiful fire red angelfish that the owner had bred...